FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys have conducted their second head coaching interview since moving on from Mike McCarthy, with former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh completing his interview on Saturday.
Saleh, 45, most recently spent time with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive consultant after being fired on October 8 by the Jets following a Week 5 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. In three full seasons and five games as the head coach in New York, Saleh compiled a 20-36 overall record.
The Cowboys aren't the only team interested in Saleh's services, as he interviewed for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching vacancy on January 14 and is expected to interview with the Las Vegas Raiders for their head coaching job as well. Additionally, Saleh interviewed for his old position with the San Francisco 49ers as defensive coordinator on January 9.
Prior to his firing in October, the Jets ranked first in yards per play, second in yards per pass attempt and opposing yards per game, and fifth in points allowed per game defensively with Saleh as head coach through the first five games of the year.
Regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, the Jets defense was a top five unit in yards allowed per game under Saleh in his last two full seasons from 2022-23. They were also top four in passing defense and top 12 in points allowed in each of those two years as well.
As mentioned earlier, Saleh served as the defensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers from 2017 to 2020 prior to taking the head coaching job with the Jets. San Francisco finished 13th or better from 2018 to 2020 under Saleh's watch, including a 2019 season where the 49ers had the #1 passing defense and #2 total defense that helped propel San Francisco to an appearance in Super Bowl LIV.
2025 will be the 20th season that Saleh has spent in the NFL, beginning in 2005 with the Houston Texans as a defensive intern. He was promoted to defensive quality control coach and assistant linebackers coaching positions before joining the Seattle Seahawks in 2011.
Saleh was a defensive quality control coach on Pete Carroll's staff in 2013 when the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII. He served as the linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2014-16 before leaving to take the 49ers defensive coordinator position in 2017.
The team completed their first head coaching interview with Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Friday and are expected to interview Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier on Monday.
For the latest news on the Cowboys' head coaching search, visit our Cowboys head coach candidate tracker here.
